In many situations it is critical to deliver information to a large number of people other than by traditional mass media channels such as television and radio. For example, large scale disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes often cut off electricity. In such situations it is often necessary to tell people where to go for food, shelter, and safety. It may also be necessary to warn people of an impending threat.
In armed conflicts, it is often advantageous to engage in psychological warfare in order to dishearten enemy combatants or to undermine popular support for military action. However, in armed conflicts, transmitting equipment for communication over radio and television may be unavailable and time consuming to provide. Furthermore, the intended audience may not have access to receiving devices or be aware of attempts to broadcast information.
Leaflets are a common method for delivering information on a large scale in such situations. However, in order to reach large amounts of people, large numbers of leaflets must be dropped. Furthermore, in many parts of the world, people are not literate. Leaflets also require extensive printing and packaging in order to transmit a given message to the people.
High-wattage electrical sound systems with independent power supplies may be effective to widely transmit information in some situations. However, in armed conflicts, it is difficult to safely position a sound system where it will be most effective. In any case, sound systems large enough to reach large numbers of people are typically large and it may be difficult to transport such a sound system to a given location.
In view of the foregoing, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a system for broadcasting information to large numbers of people in inaccessible or hostile environments, without regards to literacy or the availability of electrically powered receiving devices such as radio or television.